


Quiet Night with a Little Kick

by The3rdTrumpeteer



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, and hot chocolate, dani and aubrey and jake are mentioned, happiness, they deserve it after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22295203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The3rdTrumpeteer/pseuds/The3rdTrumpeteer
Summary: Mama and Barclay have a conversation during a peaceful night at Amnesty Lodge.
Relationships: Barclay & Mama (The Adventure Zone), Barclay/Mama (The Adventure Zone), Dani/Aubrey Little
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Quiet Night with a Little Kick

**Author's Note:**

> this is a candlenights gift for @themlet on tumblr, who requested some soft cobbclay.

In the midst of fights with otherworldly beings, there isn’t a lot of time to relax. Mama feels like she’s being pulled every way at once, every day. Duck, Aubrey, and Ned are doing well, but there is always something else for them to learn, new risks for them to take. Thacker is showing no signs of improvement, and seeing him in his current state wears so much on Mama that she finds it difficult to visit him, even to just bring him food. She can’t stand seeing her friend like that, but she has still not figured out a way to bring him back.

There is almost no time to relax, ever, which is why Mama is surprised one night after dinner to find that there is nothing to do. Aubrey is out somewhere with Dani; the magician had whispered excitedly that they were “going hiking, or maybe something else, but there might be, um… hand-holding” before Dani pulled her out the front door. Duck is working, and Ned is getting ready for another episode of Saturday Night Dead. Thacker has been rather quiet for the past few days (something Mama is grateful for, though she feels guilty about it). The lodge is peaceful for once, and Mama doesn’t know what to do with herself. So she sits on a loveseat by the fireplace. She has a book in her hands, but it’s closed, and so are her eyes. She’s nearly asleep, the crackling of the burning logs in the fireplace lulling her into a light doze, when she feels the cushion next to her sink a little as someone sits down. Mama opens her eyes and sees Barclay watching her, a soft smile on his face.

“I’m glad you’re finally getting some rest,” he says. “We could all use a little, that’s for sure.”

“It’s so quiet tonight,” Mama says, resting her head on Barclay’s shoulder. He puts an arm around her and pulls her close. “Hasn’t been quiet in awhile, huh?”

“I’d say we’ve had more than our fair share of action these past few months, yeah.” Barclay sighs. “The new Pine Guard is doing fine, Madeline. They can do this.”

“The abominations are gettin’ more dangerous,” Mama says. “We’re buildin’ up to somethin’. I can feel it.”

“Yeah, I can feel it, too. But there’s no use worrying about that right now, y’know? Maybe tonight, it’s just better to relax and not think about anything.” Barclay kisses the top of Mama’s head, then takes his arm out from around her and stands up. “You know what we need?”

“What?”

“Some hot chocolate,” he says, then winks at her. “Maybe with a little kick?”

“Now, that is the best suggestion I’ve heard all week,” Mama says with a smile. She gets up and follows Barclay to the kitchen, leaving her book behind on the loveseat.

Mama and Barclay are the only ones in the kitchen, which isn’t so unusual; Barclay cooks most of the lodge’s meals, and sometimes Jake will swing through to grab a snack on his way to go snowboarding, but the kitchen is largely Barclay’s domain. Mama sits on a high stool at the bar and watches Barclay as he pulls out all the ingredients for the hot chocolate. He doesn’t believe in instant hot chocolate–doesn’t believe in anything instant, really–and making even something as simple as hot chocolate is a production. But it’s some of the best damn hot chocolate Mama’s ever had, so she doesn’t mind waiting.

“So,” Barclay sets the kettle on the stove to boil, “heard any, uh… gossip lately?”

Mama snorts. “You and me have never ‘gossiped’, and you know that.”

“True.” Barclay shrugs. “But, y’know, there are so many things happening lately, and not all of them are good things, so I thought we’d focus on the things that _are_ good, and we can do that by… gossiping, I guess.” He laughs, and Mama follows suit.

“Okay,” she says, “let’s gossip, then. Be teenagers again.”

“Teenagers drinking hot chocolate that’s strong as hell?”

“Why not?”

“Alright.” Barclay begins preparing his and Mama’s mugs so they’re ready when the water boils. “Gossip… Dani and Aubrey sure are adorably awkward, aren’t they?”

“They’re in one of the best phases,” Mama says. “Y’know, where they’re just startin’ to fall in love?”

“Oh, I remember that one,” Barclay says. He grins and leans across the counter, and Mama meets him in the middle with a kiss. “That sure is a great phase, you’re right.”

“I just hope nothin’ comes between ‘em.” Mama sighs. “It’s really nice seein’ them together.”

“I’m sure they’ll make it,” Barclay says. He takes the kettle off the stove as it starts to whistle and pours the boiling water into the two mugs. He hands one to Mama. “Now for the kick.” He opens a cabinet above the stove and pulls out a tall black bottle.

“Baileys Irish Cream.” Mama smiles. “I don’t think I’ve had any’a that in months. Haven’t had time for a little kickback like this, anyhow.”

“Well, now you do.” Barclay pours some of the Baileys into both his and Mama’s mugs and tops the whole concoction off with a heavy serving of whipped cream. “So, enjoy it.”

Mama holds up her mug in a sort of mock-toast gesture, and Barclay clinks his against it. “I intend to.”


End file.
